Frequently Asked Questions About Employment

No. We do not accept applications after the closing date indicated on the notice of job opportunity.

No. The House of Commons is its own separate employer and is not subject to the Public Service Employment Act.

No. The House of Commons, the Senate and the Library of Parliament are three independent and distinct employers. We are unable to share your application with any other parliamentary or federal institution. If you are interested in working for another parliamentary or federal institution, you must submit your application directly to that institution.

Yes. We recruit qualified and suitable candidates who meet our requirements regardless of where they live. If you are not a permanent resident of Canada, you must have a valid work visa in order to work at the House of Commons.

Every offer of employment is conditional upon a satisfactory pre-employment screening. If you are considered for a position, you will be asked to complete a security form and you will be subject to verifications, which include background and security assessments by both the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.

This depends entirely on your background.

Yes. The House of Commons strives to protect sensitive information and other assets and to otherwise safeguard at all times the general interests of the House of Commons, Members of Parliament, House Administration employees, and persons within the Parliamentary Precinct. For that reason, the House of Commons is required to ensure that all staff, volunteers and contractors meet the established security levels for their employment.

If you are considered for a position, you must obtain a valid security accreditation from the House of Commons as a condition of employment. The security assessment will determine whether or not an accreditation will be granted.

Most positions within the House of Commons Administration have been identified as bilingual. The language requirements of all advertised positions will be listed on the job posting. Candidates will be asked to demonstrate that they meet the linguistic requirements of the position.

You may be invited to meet with a recruiter or a hiring manager to discuss your skills and qualifications, as well as to explore your motivation to work at the House of Commons. This informal meeting may take place in person or by telephone.

No. The candidate is always responsible for relocation expenses.

Yes. If you are hired for a term of more than six (6) months or on an indeterminate basis (12 or more hours per week), you will continue to contribute to the Public Service Pension Plan.

Our main offices are located on Parliament Hill and within the downtown core of Ottawa close to Parliament Hill.

The standard workweek is 35 hours for full-time employees. Part-time employees work less than 35 hours per week. Some positions require employees to work additional hours beyond the standard workweek. Other positions may require shift work or irregular hours, mainly evenings and weekends.

Please consult the Employee Eligibility and Selection page.

Canada's two official languages are English and French. The exam and/or interview will be held in the candidate's official language of choice.

Only candidates identified for further consideration in the selection process will be contacted.

Upon request, arrangements will be made to convert selection instruments to other media to accommodate applicants with disabilities.

Yes. If you have been tested before by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and your candidacy is being given further consideration in the selection process at the House of Commons, you can submit your valid second language results to the Evaluation Centre at the House of Commons. The contact information will be provided to you during the selection process.

You must provide us with a copy of your test results. For more information about what to do in order to obtain a confirmation of your previous results, consult the test results page on the Public Service Commission’s website.

The Evaluation Centre assesses the second language (English or French) competencies required to meet the linguistic profile for bilingual positions at the House of Commons. Candidates are required to take standardized tests to evaluate their ability to read, write and communicate orally in their second language. We use the same reading comprehension and written expression tests as the Public Service Commission. For more information, consult the second language evaluation page on the Public Service Commission's website.

There are three tests for second language evaluation:

• a written expression test;
• a reading comprehension test; and
• an oral interaction test.

The oral interaction test lasts approximately 30 minutes. At each step, the examiner will evaluate your ability to perform language tasks by asking you questions or engaging you in a dialogue similar to a conversation you might have in the course of your work or in your everyday life. The conversation is recorded to provide a copy of the test. You will be assessed on how well you communicate in your second language, not on the content or ideas expressed. The oral interaction test is conducted by the House of Commons and will not be recognized by the public service (unlike the reading comprehension and written expression tests, which are recognized).

The Public Service Commission also offers online reference material to help you prepare for your evaluation.

Written assessments can assess a number of criteria beyond your writing skills, such as specialized knowledge of a specific policy issue or your research skills.

Whether you applied for a specific employment opportunity or are being recruited from our Resumé Bank, our system will keep you informed by email throughout the selection process. It is important to ensure your profile is up to date since we may contact you directly if you are suitable for a vacant position.